The Bible and Treating
the Elderly with respect

I read recently in a newspaper that instances of child abuse were
rising in the United States, but instances of abuse of the elderly
were rising twice as fast. This is one of the indications that
treatment of the elderly needs to be an area of great concern
to all of us.

There seems to be two views of age in today's society. The most
prevalent view seems to be that of repulsion. Age is looked upon
as an incurable disease. We fight against aging, we do not want
to be reminded of what time can do to us. Thus, the aged elderly
person is cast from society. They are made to feel useless, a
burden to family, and often are cast off, avoided except on rare
occasions of birthdays and Christmas morning. Another view is
that age is beautiful. That age demands respect and dignity. That
the elderly are giants of the forest, wise, full of experience,
worthy of our praise and adoration. This is the view the Bible
holds on age.

In Proverbs 23:22, Solomon exhorts his son to "harken to
your Father who begot you and do not despise your mother when
she is old." In the story of Job, we find that Elihu the
younger of Job's friends waited until the older men had spoken
to Job. He also treated his communication to Job with admiration
and respect, since Job was his elder. In Exodus 20:12 we find
the commandment - to honor your -father and mother, that your
days may be long in the land which the Lord your God gives you.
In Mark 7:10-12, we find Jesus saying, "He who speaks evil
of his father and mother, let him surely die." He goes on
to say that the Pharisees had made void the law of God by their
disgraceful treatment of the elderly.

I am reminded of Caleb, who at the age of 85 came to Joshua and
took possession of that inheritance he had earned. Age demands
an inheritance. Old age should be a time for ego integrity. The
elderly have made their mark on life. They have performed well,
and have confidence that their life was well spent in raising
children, making the world a better place, and in training the
next generation. They have a wealth of wisdom to share, experience
to relate, expressions and advice on life to share. They await
new experiences, and are getting prepared for the last experience
of this life, and for a whole new world beyond death. They have
earned our love and respect.

Nature herself teaches us that age demands dignity and honor.
The older the redwoods, the more majestic. The older wines and
cheeses are, the more they are praised and honored for taste.
Should it not hold true that the older a man, the more he is to
be appreciated by others. I am convinced that young people are
missing one of the greatest opportunities available when they
do not get to know the elderly and associate with them. All too
soon these towering pillars of faith and wisdom will pass from
our midst and the loss will be tremendous. In closing, let us
remember 4 lessons that might make all the difference in the world
on our view of the elderly.

First, age does not mean that someone is useless. I have been
shamed by the failure of the young to use the talents of the elderly.
I am inspired by their fighting spirit. In our efforts to destroy
them we have tried to make them useless. They have fought back
saying, "I exist. I have something to offer you if you will
accept it." I have been amazed at the elderly people who
have accepted challenges of work in the church and done fantastic
work. Get to know your elderly in your neighborhood or family.
You might be surprised by their wit, humor, and their ability
to guide you.

Secondly, allow them to share with you their life. Some of the
greatest lessons I learned about life, I learned from my grandfather.
He was 86 and full of cancer, yet he taught me some lessons on
living. He was full of humor, wisdom, and was a strong man of
faith in God. His advice I will never forget. I am reminded of
Timothy as he learned from the Apostle Paul, an old warrior instructing
the new recruit. Had Timothy now allowed Paul to share his life
with him, the church might have been hurt, even destroyed where
Timothy was concerned.

Thirdly, age carries with it only one promise. That when we are
old we will receive the respect, dignity and honor that is due
us. That someone will care and want to return the love and care
that was given so long ago to others. It is the Golden Rule in
effect. They now want others to do unto them what they have done
unto others.

Fourthly, remember - growing old is not a disease or a woe to
humanity. It is our right. It is a privilege allowed by God. It
is an opportunity to be useful and productive a little longer
in the service of our family and of our God. Truly age is beautiful.